Planning Improvements

Folks -

We use an old (4.0.03) version of BPCS, and currently have none of the
planning modules running.  Most of our planning is done using Excel, and
is relatively resource intensive.

Our products are very simple (~8 components, single level bills), our
sales order delivery times are short (typically same week), and our
purchasing lead times are long (typically 8-10 weeks).  

We are (relatively) comfortable with our inventory levels and with our
service levels.  However, we want to improve . . .
1> the amount of effort necessary to plan the manufacturing and
procurement
2> the dependance on a few key people in the planning and procurement
process.
3> the transparency of the process - meaning the ability of other
departments (and eventually customers and suppliers) to know what is
happening when.

We are wary of the canned planning modules because . . .
- training is an issue due to our old BPCS, and we have no internal
knowledge
- the care and feeding of the system required to support standard
MRP/DRP seems onerous
- the effort required to implement

Can any of you suggest places (software, support) we might look to help
with this?

Thanks in advance . . .

Tom Jedrzejewicz
IS Manager, Contessa Food Products